Men charged over WA sandalwood thefts

Seven men have been charged with stealing almost 50 tonnes of sandalwood, worth around $500,000, in three sophisticated operations in Western Australia.

An investigation into sandalwood thefts in the Wheatbelt and Goldfields-Esperance districts began in April last year, police say.

The owner of a pastoral station contacted them after large trees were removed from his property.

The culprits had also established a camp site to process the wood before removing it.

While inquiries are continuing into those thefts, four men from the Kalgoorlie region, aged from 28 to 39, have been charged with stealing more than five tonnes of the prized wood found at a property at New Norcia, north of Perth, in August.

That same month, Department of Environment and Conservation wildlife officers interrupted two men loading sandalwood onto a truck at a Menzies property.

They attempted to flee but their truck was blocked by dense vegetation and more than 14 tonnes of sandalwood was recovered.

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A 34-year-old man from Kambalda East has been charged in relation to that incident.

In September and still in connection to the New Norcia incident, police found almost five tonnes of sandalwood on a truck heading towards the South Australian border, and have since charged the 37-year-old driver from Hannans.

A 55-year-old man from Oldbury was charged with receiving the wood found at New Norcia.

Later that month, more than 24 tonnes of sandalwood was found at a home in Kalgoorlie, resulting in a 52-year-old local man being charged.

In total, the incidents involved more than 100 tonnes of sandalwood worth more than $1.1 million.

Sandalwood is a fragrant wood used in incense, cosmetics and medicines.